A radical new, environmentally acceptable approach to hazardous waste management in the UK: Plasma Arc Technology

摘要

The use of plasma arc technologies, especially in the treatment of hazardous wastes, is set to expand. The technology is intermediate within the waste management hierarchy and is characterised as an Advanced Conversion Technique (ACT) with Best Available Technique (BAT) attributes. Adoption is driven by the increasing stringency of environmental regulations, the requirement for efficient resource utilisation, the responsibility of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for product life cycle impact and the reducing capacity of traditional disposal mechanisms. Within this industrial climate plasma technology is set to become an important component of sustainable waste management solutions. Tetronics' technology is mature and has been successfully employed in a range of commercial-scale environmental applications. This paper reviews recent developments of Tetronics' technology for the treatment of Asbestos Containing Material. Operational results obtained from a pilot scale plasma arc system are presented along with material properties and ecological performance data.